Of all the things to help bring back my costuming mojo during the pandemic, I never thought it would be a Regency romance! But Bridgerton is so ridiculously over-the-top and plays with historical fashion in a way that sang to my DGAF-ness of the times. Also, it’s a known issue that I despise the typical little white dresses of Jane Austen movie and TV adaptions, despite watching them over and over again. Bridgerton inspired me to make something bright, wild, and crazy in the 1810s-ish style — a historical era whose fashions I never loved but am suddenly sewing stuff for.
In my stash, I found this hot pink silk dupioni and a weird old Butterick 6630 pattern. I left the giant poufy sleeves because why not? And I really wanted that stand-up collar, which I made in stiff black organza. The whole thing is trimmed in layers of AliExpress lace, some that dangles and some that has 3D flowers. More is more.
It went together quickly and easily, but I didn’t have a place or reason to wear it for several months (because, y’know, pandemic).
Then in May, me and all my friends got vaccinated, so we got excited about actual in-person events again (outdoors, socially distanced, but still!). The Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild announced a Bridgerton picnic for June, and we were set to get tickets, but that event sold out in mere minutes. Boo! So Kendra asked if we could have our own version of the picnic in my backyard, and Chris offered her popup, tables, and chairs, and thus, a reason for me to wear this outfit was finally born.
I wore it over my black chemise gown, but I needed something for my hair, aside from the tiara, natch. Since my hair is dyed purple, none of my old black hairpieces match, and I didn’t have any Regency-esque curls anyway. So I whipped some up.
The event was so much fun — it was the first time in over a year a dozen of us got together in costume! We had champagne, food, Lady Whistledown mad libs, whist, and took pictures of each other.
I also wore this pelisse at a Regency house party in fall 2021:
